Love that character! When Homer went to a soccer game and was getting bored he commented on how could the European's enjoy such a boring game. About then Willie and his buddies start a fight, since they too were getting bored!

There should be no rules against doping, or steroids, or pro-hormones, etc, for professional athletes (and soldiers for that matter). Instead of penalizing you for doing whatever it takes to improve yourself as much as possible, the competition and your level of dedication should be the limiting factors.

Want to take steroids so you can be better at your job? Freaking awesome. Do it under a doctor's supervision so you don't jack yourself up.

Edit: And when you decide to disregard your doctor's advice and mess yourself up anyway... at least your kids will have a sweet medal and awesome stories about dad!

I read a very good article once on doping from a bike racer who decided to compete in a "no testing" race and went to his doctor to get the various performance enhancement items, plus, of course, the "health food store" for protein powder, etc. that many athletes use.

The idea was to provide material for the article, and personally see the effects, while under "not team doctor so on his side" medical observation.

The results were......interesting. Definite increase in endurance, muscle mass, and a bit in speed, but side effects from some of the concoctions made him "puffy" and after the experiment he dropped almost all the drugs. HGH was a winner, with cautions.

My experience with steroids, ( prescribed ) is that they are marvelously effective at stopping a gout flare up, and after about a week, do have some psych effects, more easily irritated, etc. So I suggest only short term use, and targeted use. Muscle building effects are directly proportional to effort. TANSTAAFL applies. As a help with injury, Top notch. Occasional boost for training? Not bad. Long term training use? Not good.

Other stuff like HGH I've no direct experience with, but red blood cell "doping" ( where you have blood taken over time and have your own red blood cells put back in before the race ) is HIGHLY effective as an endurance tool in aerobic events, and also HIGHLY dangerous to your cardiac system, since the typical dehydration gives you blood of higher viscosity and your poor, overworked heart is trying to pump sludge. More than one bicycle racer has had heart attacks using this technique, some fatal. ( a couple of Dutch racers IIRC )

Absolutely. But as a medical amateur I don't prescribe just speak from experience with cautions. Your actual doctor should chose with you your treatment for whatever.

I've also been given piles of non steroidal anti inflammatory meds. ( if only they worked on politics ) They too have risks, including fatal side effects. That said, Oxygen can kill you ( in so many ways ) but withdrawal is a killer.

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